


Commonwealth Fourth of July

by Midnyghtchilde



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Romance, relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-17 14:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5873104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midnyghtchilde/pseuds/Midnyghtchilde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the events of Broken, somewhere during the epilogue. Just a fluffy bit of a celebration of independence after the fall of the Institute and the Brotherhood.</p><p>Mayor MacCready throws a 4th of July party in Sanctuary. Hancock and Bric make a scene, demonstrating their rhythms are in sync in more than just the battlefield.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Commonwealth Fourth of July

**Author's Note:**

> fluffy deliciousness.

When the Institute fell, MacCready wanted to have a huge celebration. Bric on the other hand, was horrified. She took full responsibility for her decisions, and while she knew the Institute had needed to be destroyed, the death of hundreds if not thousands of innocents still weighed on her.

_I just want to do more good than harm. But I’m not sure if that’d what I’ve actually done._

“Y’know there’s already a historical holiday for celebrating independence – July 4th. Why not just do a party then?” She said, trying to hide her unease with the entire idea.

“If that’s what you want Bric, that’s what we’ll do. I just know there are plenty of people who’d love to celebrate what you accomplished.” MacCready said.

So the town square – well, town circle, since it was old cul-de-sac of Sanctuary – was filled with tables piled with food, a few small cook fires, and one large bonfire. With a little ingenuity and the help of Sturgis and Danse, Bric had salvaged some old speakers and connected her pipboy to it. She’d found a few old holotapes and was letting Codsworth play DJ with them. The big-band tunes filled the circle, and a dance area had been cleared out by moving around the tables.

As the sun went down and the alcohol continued to flow, the town grew rowdier. There were a few people still on watch duty, but in general things had been quiet with the end of both the Brotherhood and the Institute. The Minute Men had tripled in number, and the Commonwealth was safer than it had ever been before.

It wasn’t safe, but it was safer anyways.

“Hey guys.” A quite tipsy Bric finally made her way back to her friends, who stood off to one side. MacCready, Cait, Piper, Nick, and Hancock all stood together, chatting amicably. Bric simply slipped into the group, sliding her arm around Hancock’s waist. He grinned, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her against his side. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

“You finally escape your hordes of adoring fans huh?” Piper grinned.

Brick laughed and nodded. Settlers had been stopping Bric and thanking her all afternoon. She felt awkward about it all, but hoped after today they’d finally stop staring at her like she was a superhero and move on with their lives. They were grateful, and they didn’t have to live with killing hundreds of people, so she tried to be gracious and friendly. But as the day went on, she had drank more and more to deal with it.

“Well that’s what you get for being the hero of the Commonwealth.” Piper said.

“Ugh.” Bric’s nose wrinkled and she narrowed her eyes as she made a little guttural noise of annoyance and frustration. “I hate that title.” Not only was she unsure if she’d really done anything worth celebrating with so many casualties, but it wasn’t like she did it alone. Yet no one was lining up to shake the hand of Preston, Deacon, Hancock, or any of the others who had gone into the Institute with her.

“Well what do you expect Bric?”

She shrugged. The music changed to a quick upbeat temp of a swing-style song. Bric broke into a grin. “I love this song!” She pulled away from Hancock, grabbing his hand as she did so. She pulled him a step towards the dancing settlers. “Come on, this is supposed to be a party.”

“Oh, no. No, doll.” Hancock shook his head, but Bric only tugged on his hand and gave him a pleading look. “No!” But he laughed, dark eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Come on!” Bric tugged on his hand again, grinning so much she had dimples on her cheeks, and her eyes were bright with it, even as she pleaded.

“Oh fine.” Hancock grinned, pulling her towards him for a brief kiss before letting her lead the way.

MacCready laughed at the exchange, shaking his head. “Better him than me. I bet he can’t dance either.”

Cait glanced at Nick, who just shook his head. “Hey Mac, wanna wager 70 caps on it?”

“On what? Whether he can dance? Sure.” Maccready nodded, eyes on the dance floor.

Bricelyn wore a halter topped sundress with a knee-length flared skirt that twirled and fluttered as she moved. It was a brilliant ruby red shade and she’d sewn it herself. Bright against the mostly duller colors of the settler’s cloths, it was eye catching as she danced. Hancock on the other hand, wore a black button down shirt, sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows, jeans, black tall boots, and his trademark tricorn hat, instead of his jacket. A loosely knotted red tie matched Bric’s dress. As they stepped into the crowd, the most infamous couple in the Commonwealth were impossible not to watch.

“Pay up MacCready.” Cait said as she laughed. Hancock didn’t just know how to dance – he was damn good at it. Better than Bric, who lit up with laughter as she realized she’d been toyed with by John’s brief refusal.

“I’m not surprised, he is from the Stands.” Piper said with a chuckle.

MacCready glanced from Cait, to Piper, to Nick, then frowned. “I think I took a sucker bet!”

Nick laughed. “You did. John was a party boy when he was your age. Of course he can dance.”

Even as they chatted, their eyes stayed on their friends. Bric and John spun, weaving amongst the other settlers. He dipped her low as she gasped with surprise.

Piper sighed with envious longing. “I want that.”

“Didn’t think you’d go ghoul Pipes.” Cait drawled.

“Well no. Not what I meant. I mean I want a relationship like that.”

Nick chuckled, dropping his cigarette and grinding it out. “Everyone does. They’re lucky they found each other. Both of them.”

“You notice their rings?” Piper glanced at Nick, resisting the urge to grab a pen from the back of her glove and take out her notebook.

Cait’s brow arched. “Huh?”

“They started wearing them a while back – before the Institute infiltration.” MacCready said.

Nick nodded. He’d watched his old friend’s habit of reaching for his mentats tin morph into toying with the ring. He’d reach for the tin absent mindedly, remember it was there, and instead his thumb would spin the simple golden band on his ring finger idly for a minute. He was proud of John, mechanical heart swollen with an almost-fatherly pride.

“So they got hitched and didn’t invite us?” Cait’s eyes went wide with surprise.

“No, I don’t think they did. It’s just something for them.” Nick said.

Out on the dance floor, the song changed to a slow tempo. Half the settlers were watching the flashes of bright red as Bric moved. Hancock started to step away from the dance, but Bric pulled him back by his hand. She stepped up against him, placing his hand on her hip with a smile. Hancock shook his head, uncomfortable with the public slow dance, but Bric didn’t care.

“They better not have! I want to be a bridesmaid. Piper pouted briefly.

“I don’t think they’re the big fancy ceremony type Pipes.” Cait said.

“At least John isn’t.” Nick said.

The slow dance ended. Bric punctuated it with a kiss that she let linger, comfortable in John’s arms. She felt his anxiety, and murmured “Fuck ‘em. Let ‘em stare. They’re just jealous.”

John laughed, reassured by her attitude. “My kinda trouble, love.”


End file.
